1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a front end structure and a headlamp system of an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The interior of each headlamp including the headlight for radiating light ahead of a vehicle is not hermetically sealed completely. Therefore, the relative humidity in the headlamp and the relative humidity of the atmosphere are always substantially equal to each other.
On the other hand, the headlamp increases in temperature when turned on. In spite of the fact that the relative humidity in the headlamp and the relative humidity of the atmosphere are substantially equal to each other, therefore, the absolute humidity in the headlamp undesirably increases when it is turned on.
When the headlamp is turned off, the temperature in the headlamp decreases so that the moisture corresponding to the increase of absolute humidity is condensed in the headlamp and dims the headlamp (especially, the lens thereof).
According to the invention described in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 6-79008, the dimming in the headlamp is prevented by forcibly ventilating the interior of the headlamp by a radiator fan. The cited invention, however, creates a problem that the assembly of the headlamp is adversely affected by the fact that the headlamp and the shroud of the radiator fan are connected to each other by a tube to forcibly ventilate the interior of the headlamp.
In order to improve the visibility in the headlamp (500), the heat exchangers (100, 200) and night, on the other hand, an increased number of vehicles have recently been equipped with high intensity discharge lamps (HID) of high brightness.
However, the light controller for the HID lamp, which operates at a high temperature, is required to have a high heat resistance and a superior radiation characteristic.
For this reason, the electric parts such as the IC chip and the base board of the light controller have to be superior in high heat resistance, and therefore it is difficult to reduce the production cost of the light controller.
Also, the need of securing a sufficient radiation capability (radiation area) makes it difficult to reduce the size of the light controller and improve the workability of mounting it on the vehicle.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to improve the assembly workability of the headlamp while at the same time preventing a loss of output thereof.
Another object of the invention is to reduce the production cost and the size of the headlamp control means such as the light controller.
In order to achieve the objects described above, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a front end structure of an automotive vehicle, comprising headlamps (500) for radiating light ahead of the vehicle, heat exchangers (100, 300) arranged on the forward end of the vehicle, at least a blower (300) for blowing the cooling air to the heat exchangers (100, 200), and a front end panel (400) arranged at the front end portion of the vehicle and having assembled thereon the blowers (300), wherein the front end panel (400) is formed with a vent line (440) for establishing communication between the interior of each of the headlamps (500) and each of the blowers (300), and a duct ember (441) constituting the vent line (440) is formed integrally with the front end panel (400).
As a result, upon activation of the blower (300), the interior of the headlamp (500) is forcibly ventilated. Therefore, the absolute humidity in the headlamp (500) becomes substantially equal to the absolute humidity of the atmosphere, and the headlamp (500) can be prevented from becoming dim.
Also, in view of the fact that the duct member (441) making up the vent line (440) is formed integrally with the front panel (400), the assembly of the vent line (440) is completed at the same time as the headlamp (500) is assembled on the front end panel (400).
Therefore, the assembly of the headlamp (500) can be improved, while at the same time preventing the dimming of the headlamp (500), and this reduces the number of steps for assembling the vehicle.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a front end structure of an automotive vehicle, further comprising a blocking member (450) arranged on the side of the headlamp (500) nearer to the heat exchangers (100, 200) for preventing the air that has passed through the heat exchangers (100, 200) from flowing into the headlamp (500).
As a result, the air that has been heated by passing through the heat exchangers (100, 200) can be prevented from flowing into the headlamp (500), and therefore the interior of the headlamp (500) can be rapidly cooled to the same temperature as the atmosphere. Thus, the absolute humidity in the headlamp (500) can be rapidly reduced, and therefore the dimming of the headlamp (500) can be more positively prevented.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a headlamp system comprising headlamp control means (560) arranged in the vent line (440) for controlling the headlamp (500).
As a result, the headlamp control means (560) can be cooled sufficiently. Therefore, it becomes possible to employ, for the headlamp control means (560), electric parts, such as the IC chip and the base board, having a low heat resistance while at the same time making it possible to reduce the size of the headlamp control means (560). In addition, both the production cost and the size of the headlamp control means (560) can be reduced to improve the workability for mounting the headlamp system on the vehicle.
Incidentally, each of the reference numerals in the parentheses designating the respective means described above is an example indicating the correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments described below.